1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to improved paper product center rolls. More particularly, it relates to paper towel rolls and toilet tissue rolls about which layers of paper product are wound or wrapped.
2. Description of the Prior Art
It is known to provide paper towel rolls wrapped around a center tube of cardboard. The innermost towels are “started” on that center roll using glue, soap or another non-destructive adhesive. Then layers of single or multi-ply papers (usually separated into individual sheets by pre-established perforations) are wound thereabout. For toilet tissue rolls, the same effect is accomplished though on a much smaller diameter/scale.
A typical, prior art center roll is shown in various views in accompanying FIGS. 1 through 6. Therein, the roll of paper product (paper towels or toilet tissues) is wound around a central cardboard tube that is supplied in a standard American length of 11 inches and standard American diameter of 1¾ inches for fitting on (or between) most paper towel holders. The standard American size of toilet paper roll runs about 4 inches wide with the same size diameter opening, or about 1¾ inches across.
For most applications, it is well known to make paper center rolls from a single section of cardboard cut in an elongated strip with diamond-like ends pointed in opposite directions. See especially, FIG. 6.
Recently, Kimberly-Clark introduced an environmentally conscious Scott Toilet Paper roll that has NO center tube. Instead, its sheets of toilet paper are wrapped around a stiffened, set of wavy centermost sheets as part of its new line of Naturals products.
There are numerous designs/variations pertaining to paper towel rolls and the means for wrapping papers about a central tube. Representative improvements include those shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,451,013, 5,938,141 and Design Patent No. D205,497. More recently, the center tube was replaced with a liquid dispenser in U.S. Pat. No. 5,671,872. And while there were tangential, passing references to sponges in a paper roll/cleaning context in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,516,676, 5,467,936 and 7,392,921, none of these teach or suggest anything even remotely resembling the present invention.